The virtual society seems to be filled with many personalities, some that you may or may not find in a real world situation. Perhaps the biggest difference is how often you are approached by strangers. In reality, you won't often find another person willing to simply walk up to a complete stranger and ask them to be your friend. We took our group photo at the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum. It was a great opportunity to see Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and learn about his life. During our group photo, there were numerous other avatars that seemed to be fascinated by what we were doing. People seem to be much more outspoken in virtual worlds then they would be in a real world situation. While that may not always be a good thing, the topics people can have conversations over seem endless. This leads to better communication between people, which plays a big part in the popularity of programs like Second Life.
Meeting in Second Life was fun, and we found it better than simply chatting with my group members in a chat group. One downside is how easily distracted one can become while playing the game. With the ability to see and do so much, it is sometimes hard to focus on the task at hand. That very same ability to see and do so much is what makes Second Life a great tool for both students and teachers alike. Second life allows people to visit educational places like museums, universities, and other virtual recreations of spectacular cities and monuments. This can help enhance the learning experience and encourage students to get more involved in their studies. A great example of this is when our group member Jessica teleported to the Second Life Planetarium Dome, and had the opportunity to learn about stars and space all while in the comfort of her own home. This type of learning could be more appealing to students compared to standard textbook reading or even classroom discussions. Overall our experience in Second Life was positive and introduced us to an entirely new way of life.
